Availability of U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 94-382, Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plans for Districts of the U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division, by Donald V. Arvin In Reply Refer To: February 3, 1995 Mail Stop 415 OFFICE OF SURFACE WATER TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NO. 95.03 Subject: Availability of U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 94-382, Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plans for Districts of the U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division, by Donald V. Arvin In conjunction with the Branch of Quality Assurance, the Office of Surface Water (OSW) has made preparations for districts to update and improve the existing surface-water quality-assurance plans. The vehicle for this change is a workbook included in the subject report. The workbook consists of a framework of generally-accepted policy and procedures related to surface-water quality assurance, interspersed with blank sections. In these sections each district is asked to write policies and procedures that specifically apply in a particular district, given the hydrologic conditions. Approval of an individual district quality-assurance plan for release as an open-file report will be given following an OSW review of the added material. Revisions of the plan may be made by showing the revised date on the cover of the plan and furnishing revised copies to Headquarters and to the appropriate repositories. The districts will be asked to change to this new quality-assurance plan format some time after April 1995. In the meantime, however, the report containing the workbook is available through anonymous ftp. Districts having surface-water quality-assurance plans that are significantly outdated should retrieve the report and update their plan now. Also, any districts wishing to get an early start may retrieve the report now. A copy of U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 94-382 can be obtained as follows: ftp btdqs.usgs.gov cd pub/SW.qa.plan get sw.qa.plan.doc A compressed version of the report is in the same directory under the filename swqap.doc.Z. Please let us know if you have comments or questions. We would be particularly interested in the comments and suggestions of those that use the workbook. Ernest F. Hubbard Acting Chief, Office of Surface Water WRD Distribution: A, B, FO, PO